The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

- ¥ ro 4 FAL AR i ' ¥ Reig » '$e $ . Te or eo tN 5 \ Et ant? 75 A ' : OE SEVILLE Ve 2205, sh * TE ne I EN Christmas Pageantry And CustomsE nhance Holiday Season Around The World Christmas is surely the happiest and most exalted day of the year--a time of celebration and peace and goodwill to all. Once described as "a spontaneous drama of the common folk, a rayer, a hymn," there is indeed, little doubt hat this glorious festival was composed by the people. Observed in the church, in the home and in the heart, this season of great joy and renewed faith is honored and celebrated all over the world. The very particular and cherished traditions of each country add color and pleas- ure to its international observance. The Early Years The Christmas holiday, with its spirit of warmth and love, started as a time beseiged by doubt and uncertainty, and often martyrdom. Early celebrants were persecuted and forced to observe this holy time in hiding. In 350 A.D., December 25th was proclaimed the date of the # Nativity, by Pope Julius 1, although there is no historical evidence to back the date up. For almost-2,000 years Christmas has been observed by untold numbers of people, each in his own way. As its glorious message traveled around the world it was celebrated with much pomp and elegance. with brilliant displays and gifts, in silent prayer and worship, in contem- plation of the Spirit and its true meaning. A Treasury of Traditions An American Christmas observes a multitude of time honored customs and traditions. Almost #ery town enjoys some individual celebration uniquely its own. Plays and pageants are pre- sented, carols sung, créches decorated, trees trimmed in special ways, following long estab- lished customs from other lands. Traditions and customs, both reverent and merry, vary from country to country. In France, midnight mass is attended by almost everyone, with the exception of young children who are put to bed early. To make sure they receive a gift from le pére Noel or le petit Jesus, the youngsters place a shoe in front of their Christmas tree or fireplace before they are tucked in. The humblest home in Spain is adorned by a Nativity scene. Modelled of clay, these colorful figures make a stirring display on table or man- Top left--Young woman dressed for the celebration of St. Lucia's Day, December 13th, in Sweden. Wearing a crown of lingonberry leaves glowing with lighted candles, she serves refreshments to ev- eryone. Photo courtesy of the Swedish Information Service. Top . right--"Sternsingen" (Star Singing), an oid Christ- mas custom in Lucerne, Cen- tral Switzerland. The Three Kings from the East walk in an elaborate parade to the market square. Photo courtesy the Swiss National Tourist Office. Bottom left-- Mexican chil- dren enjoying an exciting pinata party. Gifts come showering down when the pinata is broken. Photo courtesy the Mexican. Na- tional Tourist Council. Bottom right-- Elaborate Christmas lights glisten over Regent Street, London. Photo courtesy the British Tourist Authority. tle. Gifts are distributed by "Three Wise Men" on the night of January 6th . . . Santa Claus is not a familiar figure in Spain. Customs passed lovingly from generation to generation are renewed each year. To this day the Christmas pantomime, a highly esteemed public entertainment, enriches English holiday pageantry. And Dickens' immortal classic "A Christmas Carol" is read and cherished all over the world. Port Perry Star Christmas Edition - Wednesday, Dec. 20, 1978 - 15 47 Dear Santa Claus Vie My nameis Darren. lam 8 0s. year old. I am going to 9 in a March. How is Rudolph? Is OR he ready for the big trip a pA head? [I will leave some Hey coffee and cookies. I want 3, Star Wars spaceship. I got 5" all 12 Star Wars men. vB Your friend Darren $e Caudle Py Grade 3, R.H. Cornish we '. a NR Jo wish you 3 C ; oy and CC happine for Christmas ~ sand to extend : Fa, ot ~ Ee vd ES --rpe No Fx yal Pa - - Mr a - sincere thanks to all our qood C | fends 7 OT A a he Ne \, HARRIS, FLETCHER McKAY & MACK Barristers & Solicitors 230 QUEEN STREET A Profusion of Customs A steam bath and dressing in- one's finery precedes the Finnish observance of "The Mass of Christ". Stockings are not hung by the chil- dren since Santa Claus visits them in person with gifts, most often accompanied by elves. In Sweden on December 13th, Lucia Queen of ok Light leads a procession of young women on visits to homes and public places. Dressed in flowing white gowns, and wearing crowns of lingonberry leaves glowing with lighted can- dles, Lucia and her maidens serve coffee and special saffron buns to all. In Italy's churches, town squares and homes, candles illuminate elaborate créches wreathed in periwinkle and lemon blossoms. The holiday is highlighted by The Christmas Novena, a series of Church services preceding Christmas and ending with Midnight Mass on Christmas eve. For Christian Japanese "Meri Kuri- sumasu™ is a warm, wonderful celebration! They visit hospitals and cheer patients with carols and dramatic presentations, and gifts of candles and cakes are received by everyone. Mexican children look forward to pinata par- ties at Christmas. The pinata, a clay jar filled with gifts, is decorated to look like an animal or doll. Each youngster is blindfolded, in turn, and given a stick to strike and break the pinata. When it breaks the presents come tumbling out for everyone! In foreign lands and in America, Christmas is celebrated in many ways. Despite the differ- ences in its observance all people share its mag- ical and spiritual joy! Jld - Fashioned Christmas Wishes Share in this holiday's joys with the folks you love best. JIM HEAYN AUTO SALES It's Christmas again and time to say how much it means to have the friendship and good will of folks like you. Accept our sincere thanks: and warm wishes for a ° Ha Holiday Chris Allen Aluminum SS or Le ee ng wy - re Yr Ron a a hy gr w ad Sr ¥ >a pecs 0 se I CSRS Bn PH ER SY PHC Ea fee A AR NE YS a VE (i aa df